Felbermayr, Haeger & Schmidt and PSA Combine Expertise

The Austrian Felbermayr Group and Haeger & Schmidt Logistics are jointly investing with PSA Antwerp in the terminal operator PSA Breakbulk NV, which will henceforth operate as a joint venture. This sustainable investment underlines the company’s leading position in the breakbulk segment at the Port of Antwerp and enables it to strengthen its position in the project cargo and heavy lift market.

(Antwerp) The Coil Terminal NV, in which PSA Breakbulk NV was previously involved, will continue to operate as part of the joint venture under the name PSA Breakbulk NV. The two closely intertwined terminal operators are among the leading steel hubs.

The official start for the joint venture is July 14, 2021. On this date, Felbermayr (a well-known and renowned international heavy lift transport and construction specialist) and Haeger & Schmidt Logistics will join PSA Antwerp in the joint venture PSA Breakbulk NV.

Sustainable Growth

The parties involved will jointly invest in the necessary equipment and organization at the Churchill Dock, where PSA Breakbulk is located. This underscores the partners’ intention for long-term collaboration. This comprehensive commitment also demonstrates that the joint venture partners are firmly convinced of the future of the breakbulk segment at the Port of Antwerp.

In addition to Breakbulk, also Project Cargo and Heavy Lift

The joint interest of the partners in the expansion of PSA Breakbulk NV confirms the terminal operator’s leading position in handling general cargo and steel at the Port of Antwerp. Furthermore, this renewed shareholder structure enables the company to strengthen its position in the project cargo and heavy lift market, thereby achieving an expansion and optimization of the entire value chain.

Horst Felbermayr, CEO of the Felbermayr Group: “This merger, hand in hand with a strong and experienced partner, is a very important step in our future development regarding the expansion of our value chain. This allows us to create optimized solutions for our customers and connect our well-established hinterland terminals with Antwerp. In particular, this commitment opens access to an international seaport and supports the development of Felbermayr Engineered Solutions.”

Jan Van Mossevelde, MD PSA Antwerp: “We are very pleased with this partnership with Felbermayr, the leading European heavy lift transport and crane specialist. Over time, we will create a storage area for the chemical and petrochemical sector for heavy lift components. We are introducing the ‘Project Cargo Ecosystem Concept’, a service we expect will give new impetus to the breakbulk segment.”

Dennis Verbeeck, General Manager PSA Breakbulk: “The realization of the merger between Coil Terminal and PSA Breakbulk is an important milestone in our development process to become a complete service provider for our customers. Our goal is to further increase market share in project cargo and support industrial development while maintaining our current volume-driven core activities in the steel business.”

About Felbermayr Holding GmbH (“Felbermayr”)

Felbermayr is one of the leading European heavy lift and crane specialists with headquarters in Wels, Austria. The group comprises a total of 54 locations in 16 European countries, including subsidiaries and participations. Generally, the group is divided into three business areas: transport and lifting technology, construction and engineering, and maritime logistics services. Felbermayr’s sole subsidiary, Haeger & Schmidt Logistics (HSL), has a comprehensive logistics portfolio.

About Haeger & Schmidt Logistics

Haeger & Schmidt Logistics, headquartered in Duisburg, is a leading logistics service provider focused on sustainable transport concepts for containers, steel products, heavy lift, and project cargo along the Rhine corridor. Around 200 employees work in the business areas of inland shipping, projects, port logistics, intermodal, freight forwarding, and short sea. Since 2013, the group has been part of the Austrian family-owned company Felbermayr.

About PSA Antwerp

PSA Antwerp is the second flagship within the PSA Group. PSA Antwerp operates three container terminals in the Port of Antwerp: Noordzee and Europa Terminals, as well as the MSC PSA European Terminal (MPET), a joint venture with TIL. Additionally, PSA Antwerp is active in general cargo handling at the PSA Breakbulk Terminal. PSA Antwerp has a talented and experienced workforce of around 3,000 employees.

About PSA Breakbulk

PSA Breakbulk is one of the leading general cargo terminal operators in the Port of Antwerp, with an annual water-side handling volume of approximately 2.4 million tons. The terminal (26ha) at Churchill Dock North offers 40,000 sqm of warehouses equipped with overhead cranes to ensure top hub handling. The terminal has its own rail network on-site, allowing it to offer a uniquely multimodal connected terminal that is used daily for steel products. Furthermore, PSA Breakbulk has invested in a complete top-lifting concept in recent years to ensure the highest handling standards for steel coils.

Photo: © Felbermayr